After this day passed, heavy snow continued to fall on and off for another two or three days. The river channel they had originally planned to inspect also froze over, so Kangxi simply did not go out. He handled the memorials sent from the capital in the Cao residence. When he had some free time, he either went to the West Garden to play the qin and discuss history with Cao Yue, or called Cao Yue to the East Courtyard for red-sleeved companionship[[1]].
By the window in the warm chamber of the East Courtyard, Kangxi thought of the chessboard set up in the West Garden and knew that Cao Yue could play chess, so he got interested and pulled Cao Yue into a game.
Cao Yue held the white stones. After a brief thought, she suddenly fixed on one spot and placed a white stone there, capturing several of Kangxi’s black stones.
She smiled and said lightly, “Your Majesty was careless.”
Kangxi had originally thought that Cao Yue was a woman and, even if she knew chess, she would not be very skilled. So when they played, he had not really treated Cao Yue as an opponent, and his attitude was not serious enough. Who knew that Cao Yue would give him another solid lesson.
But precisely because of that, Kangxi became more and more interested in Cao Yue, and more and more fond of her. If on the day they first met, his interest in her came from her peerless beauty and her superb skill at the qin, then after these days together, he felt more and more that Cao Yue was a treasure, completely different from the consorts in his harem.
Kangxi’s expression was gentle. Looking at the position on the board, he casually picked up a black stone and placed it down, and the situation immediately changed utterly: “Yue’er is celebrating too early.”
They say a person’s chess style reflects their character. You can glimpse a bit of someone’s nature from the way they play. Concubine Zhao, after all, was a woman, so her chess style was still a little too gentle.
When Cao Yue saw that the black stones on the board had decisively cut off their tail to survive, while the white stones that had originally been taking every advantage were suddenly in a precarious position, she felt very calm inside. Only her expression was especially surprised. After the surprise, she said a little shyly and annoyed, “So Your Majesty was deliberately going easy on me.”
Kangxi chuckled twice and said rather proudly, “Playing chess with a little woman like you, if I didn’t go easy on you, you’d probably have lost to me after only a few moves.”
As soon as the words fell, it happened that an imperial maid in a grass-green palace outfit and a flag-style headdress came over to serve tea. “Your Majesty, please have some tea. Concubine Zhao, please have some tea.”
That soft voice made Cao Yue look up at her.
The first thing that caught her eye was a pair of hands that had been very well cared for, fair and slender, just not quite delicate enough. They were holding a teacup painted with plum blossoms very steadily. Looking farther up, there was a rather pretty face, lightly powdered, drawing out a hint of charm. On the flag-style headdress were the velvet flowers and hairpins that a properly dressed imperial maid could wear, except the hairpin was in the shape of a peach blossom.
Cao Yue took the measure of her without showing it on her face, reached out and took the teacup, and put it directly on her left side.
Turning her gaze to Kangxi, who was drinking tea, she considered it for a moment and then suddenly brought up an unrelated topic: “Your Majesty keeps saying I am good to my maid, but in my opinion, Your Majesty is much better to the maid by your side than I am.”
Kangxi had only drunk half a cup of tea when he set the teacup down and heard Cao Yue say this. He was immediately bewildered. “Why bring this up out of the blue?”
Since it had only happened a few days ago, Kangxi still remembered it clearly, and when he had said that line, he had meant something by it. So as soon as he heard Cao Yue bring it up again, he knew she must have a reason for saying this.
Cao Yue slightly curled her lips and glanced lightly at the tea-serving maid without saying anything.
Kangxi followed Cao Yue’s gaze and looked at the tea-serving maid twice as well. He did not think there was anything wrong, but because he was a man and confident in himself, he burst out laughing. While laughing, he teased, “Could it be that Yue’er saw this maid looking rather pretty and got jealous?”
Being able to make a woman jealous over him meant that he must be very charming, and Kangxi was especially pleased.
Cao Yue looked at Kangxi’s smug expression and was speechless inside, but she could not say she wasn’t jealous, because bringing up this topic was precisely so she could put on a show of fighting for his favor.
Taking a deep breath, Cao Yue said shyly and annoyed, “Your Majesty is talking nonsense. Where am I jealous?”
Kangxi looked unconvinced. Just listen to it, she was so angry that she had even changed how she referred to herself from “I” to “your concubine”. How could she not be jealous?
He originally wanted to tease her a bit more, but he was afraid he would really anger her, so he could only coax her, “Fine, if Yue’er says she’s not jealous, then she’s not jealous.”
The way he acted as though whatever she said was whatever it was made Cao Yue even more annoyed. She pretended to tidy the loose hair by her ear and hurriedly stood up, curtseying. “The chess game is over. As for this tea, I won’t have the good fortune to drink it. I will take my leave first.”
After saying that, she almost fled in defeat.
As soon as she stepped out of the warm chamber, Kangxi’s pleased and arrogant laughter rang out, completely unrestrained.
Cao Yue’s steps faltered for a moment, and her pace leaving quickened quite a bit.
Once Cao Yue had left, when Kangxi had laughed enough, he waved to the tea-serving maid Lanxi. “Come here.”
Lanxi was overjoyed inside. She hurried over in small quick steps to kneel before Kangxi, biting her lip with shy delight. “Your Majesty.”
Her head was lowered so much that Kangxi could not see her face clearly, so he simply reached out and hooked Lanxi’s chin to lift her face. After glancing over it roughly twice, he gave an assessment: “She does have a bit of prettiness.”
After all, she was a woman who had served Kangxi, so she naturally would not be ugly. Lanxi was ecstatic again, her body even trembling a little.
Back in the palace, there had been one time when the emperor had drunk a few cups of wine. Coincidentally, that day she was on night duty, and the emperor had taken her to bed.
She had thought that was the start of her rise, but the next day, as if the emperor had forgotten all about it, he did not mention her at all. From then on, he never thought of her again, never had her serve him in bed, let alone give her a status.
It was not until half a year ago that she heard the emperor was going on a southern inspection tour and would not be bringing any consorts, and she knew her chance had come.
So she spent a large sum of silver bribing the managing nanny of the Imperial Tea Office, just so she could accompany the emperor on this journey. If she could get the chance, maybe by the time they returned to the palace she would be an Attendant Lady, and even if she could only be an official palace woman, that would still be better than remaining a slave.
Only, along the way, too many women had been presented by officials, and the emperor had tossed them to the back of his mind, so she could only wait for an opportunity without competing or standing out.
At last, that night, on what should have been the day Concubine Zhao was to serve him in bed, the emperor unexpectedly returned to the East Courtyard, and Eunuch Liang even picked her to serve him. She was so happy she nearly fainted.
But it was a pity. After she finished serving, she was sent back out and did not get to say even one word to the emperor. Who knew that today, because of Concubine Zhao’s unexpected jealousy, by some twist of fate the emperor would notice her.
Lanxi was so excited she could hardly contain herself. Her mind kept imagining the days ahead when she would become a little mistress, but in the next instant, Kangxi shattered her fantasy with his own hands.
Only to see Kangxi let go of the maid’s chin, pick up the handkerchief beside him and wipe his fingers, and say ruthlessly words that stabbed straight into her heart: “Even if you have some beauty, you’re only a piece of rubble. You can’t compare with jade and stone, which are more worthy of being cherished. Step back.”
So he could not understand why Concubine Zhao would be jealous over an ordinary maid.
Kangxi, unable to figure it out, could only conclude that Cao Yue cared about him too much.
Kangxi shook his head helplessly. She got jealous over even a maid. Once she followed him back to the palace, wouldn’t she spend every day soaking in a jar of vinegar?
Women, ah, are just petty.
Lanxi, having received this evaluation, turned deathly pale, as if a whole box of powder had been slapped on. She wanted to say something tactfully, but saw that the emperor had already stood up and left, so she had no choice but to withdraw.
When she exited the warm chamber, Liang Jiugong happened to catch sight of her expression, and also noticed how ordinary she looked on the surface but was actually dressed with care. He could not help but silently spat at himself.
He had thought she was honest and down-to-earth, but unexpectedly he had misjudged her again.
Liang Jiugong took a deep breath and planned to ignore it, but then he remembered that she had served the emperor, so he could not help reminding her in a low voice: “A master is a master. A servant can only be a servant. Doing well what you should do is what is proper.”
Lanxi forced out a smile and said humbly, “Yes, this servant understands. Thank you, eunuch, for your guidance.”
Saying that, she still held resentment in her heart. Speaking of status, she was a bondservant, and wasn’t Concubine Zhao also a bondservant? Why was what she had been begging for so hard something Concubine Zhao could get at her fingertips?
What kind of person was Liang Jiugong? He was the emperor’s chief eunuch, and reading people was easy for him. With just one look he could tell Lanxi was not speaking sincerely. Liang Jiugong’s expression darkened, and he no longer bothered with this mess.
He had kindly offered the reminder because they both served the emperor, after all building a good relationship was always better. Who knew the other side would not appreciate it at all? Then he did not need to waste any more thought on it. Turning around, he went into the warm chamber to serve the emperor.
Inside the warm chamber, Kangxi was holding a scroll and reading carefully. When he heard footsteps, he looked up once, then buried his head back in the book, only splitting off a sliver of attention to say, “How many days has it been since Concubine Zhao’s monthly period began?”
It matched what Cao Yue had said. The best thing is what you can’t have.
These last few days he had also slept with two maids, but he always felt the maids were not to his liking. The lingering image in his mind from seeing that belly-band that day, and the faint fragrance on Concubine Zhao’s body, were always like little hooks tugging at his thoughts.
Liang Jiugong’s eyes rolled as he silently counted the days in his head. “Replying to Your Majesty, it has been five days.”
Kangxi gave a soft “Mm” and turned a few more pages. Just when Liang Jiugong, waiting for his orders, thought the emperor would not speak, Kangxi said casually, “Send someone to ask the maids beside Concubine Zhao.”
“Yes.”
Liang Jiugong’s eye twitched a little, but he still accepted the errand. In his heart he thought that this time he must keep his eyes open and send a perceptive nanny. He absolutely could not offend anyone again.
And then, speaking of Cao Yue returning to the West Garden, just as she stepped through the courtyard gate, she saw someone sitting in the main hall facing the door. It was Cao Yin’s wife, Lady Li, that is, Cao Yue’s eldest sister-in-law, and she seemed to have been waiting for quite a while.
An Ping, who was receiving guests for Cao Yue, came forward to greet her. While supporting Cao Yue as she walked in, she explained in a low voice: “Today, the eldest madam’s sister-in-law from her natal family came. I don’t know what she said to the eldest madam, but when she left, her face didn’t look too good. Less than a quarter of an hour later, the eldest madam came here to wait.”
The eldest madam’s sister-in-law from her natal family that An Ping mentioned was Li Shi’s older brother, Li Xu, the magistrate of Suzhou. And Wang Shi was Li Xu’s wife’s cousin. Twisting around so many times, she could also count as a cousin of Lady Li.
Cao Yue understood when she heard that. She roughly had a guess. Was Lady Li here to ask about Wang Shi’s whereabouts?
She gave An Ning a look, and An Ning quickly withdrew quietly.
Only then did Cao Yue take An Ping’s hand and step into the main hall, politely saying, “I’ve kept sister-in-law waiting for so long, that was my fault.”